Choosing the Right Brand

Mar 1, 2009

Have you ever wondered what do Scabal, Canali, Zegna, Ferragamo, Canali, Corneliani, Loro Piana or Brioni have in common, beyond being luxury brands ? These are all independent fashion houses, run by family members. This is the reason why a special relationship can be tied with these brands, beyond the franchise level – an industry standard. This is also the reason why some of these brands are present on the Romanian market for a while.
The relationship between the distributor and the brand is special, personal, on a friendship level. Often local partners gain access not only to designers but also to the managing directors of the companies. This is very important for a long-term relationship, since by showing flexibility the brand can understand local market difficulties and fluctuations and make exceptions that are beneficial for both parties. Changing locations, understanding the consumer profile for the Romanian customer and proving to be understanding with financial difficulties are all part of the afore-mentioned flexibility.
However this is not the case for Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, Armani, Prada, Ralph Lauren where corporate guidelines dictate the way business partnerships are handled.
The constant rotation of regional managers has also been an obstacle in building partnerships with this kind of brands.